#665 – Declutter Your Spice Cabinet: From Chaos to Cooking Bliss

#665 – Declutter Your Spice Cabinet: From Chaos to Cooking Bliss

#665 – Declutter Your Spice Cabinet: From Chaos to Cooking Bliss

In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, Kathi Lipp and Tonya Kubo tackle one of the most deceptively frustrating spots in your kitchen: the spice cabinet. If you’ve ever bought a second (or sixth) bottle of basil because you couldn’t find the first one, or had cumin avalanche onto your counter, this one’s for you. The duo shares budget-friendly, sanity-saving solutions to bring order and accessibility to your most flavorful clutter zone. 

In This Episode You’ll Learn: 

  • Why your spices should spark joy—and scent 
  • Kathi’s five-tiered spice strategy (yes, really!) 
  • Creative storage options for tiny kitchens, RVs, and big Costco-sized bottles 
  • How to group spices for ease: singles vs. blends 
  • The $13 Amazon tool that might change your dinner routine forever 

 

 

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Sabbath Soup: Weekly Menus and Rhythms to Make Space for a Day of Rest

Kathi Lipp gives readers an easy-to-follow process for meal planning and prep, so that they can enjoy a full day each week of real rest and refreshment.

Could you use a break from cooking (and everything else) once a week? Not only is rest vital for your mind and body, it’s good for your soul too. God designed us to enter into Sabbath rest one day per week, but as you know, meals still need to be made. Your family still needs to be fed.

Sabbath Soup includes convenient, seasonal meal plans that take the guesswork out of shopping and cooking. More than just a collection of delicious recipes—including main dishes, breads, breakfasts, desserts, salads, sides, and yes, soups—this is your guide to establishing a weekly rhythm and routine of meal planning and prep that allows you to have a true day off.

Do something good for your soul and experience the peace that comes with a full day dedicated to spending time with God, family, and friends. Savor your Sabbath as you proudly proclaim, “Soup’s on!”

Order your copy of Sabbath Soup: Weekly Menus and Rhythms to Make Space for a Day of Rest here.

Links Mentioned:

Download the Free Guide:
Spice Cabinet Makeover PDF– A step-by-step plan to sort, toss, and organize. 

 

FYI: Some product links are affiliate links. If you buy, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! 

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Meet Our Guest 

 

Tonya Kubo

Tonya Kubo is the illustrious and fearless leader of Kathi Lipp’s Clutter Free Academy Facebook group and the Clutter Free for Life membership program. A professional community strategist, she believes everyone deserves to have a place online where they feel like they belong. Raised by a hoarder, Tonya knows firsthand the pain and isolation that comes from living in conditions others don’t understand. She wants better for her family and her cluttery peeps, which is why she is passionate about the compassionate slow-and-steady approach that makes Clutter Free unique. She lives in the heart of California with her husband, Brian, their two spirited daughters, and one very tolerant cat. Visit tonyakubo.com to find out more about her community work, or email her at tonya@kathilipp.org to discuss the Clutter Free Academy podcast and programs.

Tonya Kubo Picture
Transcript

Kathi Lipp (00:54) 

Well, hey friends, welcome to Clutter Free Academy, where our goal is to help you take small, doable steps to live every day with less clutter and more life. And guys, just welcome to our spiciest episode ever. 

  

Tonya Kubo (01:10) 

the puns. 

  

Kathi Lipp (01:12) 

Well, okay, we should let you guys know you don’t have to hide your kids for this this isn’t spicy like book talk spicy this No, no, no and you guys We we are here to talk about your spice cabinet very exciting right Tonya 

  

Tonya Kubo (01:19) 

Yeah, there’s no chili pepper spiciness on this one. 

  

Super exciting. I mean, if you like to cook, it’s definitely exciting. 

  

Kathi Lipp (01:35) 

Yes, and we are just going to take advantage of some of our experience with organizing our spices and how to get that from going from cluttered and chaos to cooking optimized. That’s exactly what we want. 

  

Tonya Kubo (01:53) 

Yeah. And so Kathi, I’m just curious. I first of all, I’m loving the series that we’re doing where we’re taking like these small sections of the house that plague all of us so much when it comes to clutter. They just get out of hand easily. And I know that I’m not alone because we have this episode. So I know that you have the same problem where the spice cabinet drawer, whatever you like to do with your spices, like goes cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. So 

  

Kathi Lipp (02:04) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Tonya Kubo (02:23) 

Talk to us about yours. 

  

Kathi Lipp (02:25) 

Well, okay, I can talk to you about before, before I found the solution that actually works for me, because I’m gonna save that till the end, as you know, Tonya, I’m very proud of my spice system. yes. 

  

Tonya Kubo (02:34) 

Okay. 

  

I know you are. I know you are. And I 

  

haven’t seen the latest one, I don’t think. 

  

Kathi Lipp (02:44) 

Okay, 

  

so well, I think you’ve seen part of it, but yes well there are layers much like a spicy stew. There are layers to my spice cabinet. Well, okay. So for years I tried different things. I did your traditional spice rack where you know, it was hanging up in the kitchen, but I didn’t love that because I I’m never the only time I ever owned spices where their containers matched. 

  

Tonya Kubo (02:47) 

Okay. 

  

Ha ha! 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (03:14) 

was the 

  

Tonya Kubo (03:14) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (03:14) 

day after I got married. Like somebody gave us a spice container. So I’ve had the kind that spin on your cabinet. I have the kind on the wall. But I also, not every spice company is equal. And some of them have spices that I really like. And then there are others like, I’m not a fennel person. Like fennel, my mom apparently, 

  

Tonya Kubo (03:16) 

Got it. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (03:40) 

was addicted to fennel and anise. So black, black licorice flavors when she was pregnant with me. I can’t stand either of those. So like, I don’t need any of those. But you know, they come in different sizes, different containers, like, and what is a spice? I mean, I know what a spice is. But also, we have other things like the baking soda, baking powder, vanilla paste, all that kind of stuff. 

  

Tonya Kubo (03:45) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Hahaha 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (04:07) 

So mine was kind of a jumble some of it looks super organized, but I wouldn’t say it was super functional and I would just waste time You know because some of the spices were behind other spices And then I’d run low on the spice and I’d re buy that spice only to find out. I actually had that spice somewhere 

  

Tonya Kubo (04:10) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (04:31) 

Spices should not be this big of an issue in a human’s life. It just shouldn’t be. How’s your spice situation? 

  

Tonya Kubo (04:40) 

Yeah, 

  

equally frustrating, but in different ways. Because for us, like before I even met Brian, so like we’re going back a lot of years, I always bought re refillable spice containers. So I had a selection of spice containers, and then I just buy like bulk spices in bags and go in like that, and I replace it, which is awesome. 

  

Kathi Lipp (04:44) 

Okay? 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Yeah, okay. 

  

Tonya Kubo (05:06) 

They have a little label on them. They’re beautiful, except for the cumin, which somehow got too close to a burner is halfway melted. But aside from that one, right? It’s beautiful. But the problem is I don’t actually have enough. think I have 24, which works for like the main spices. But you know, Mr. Kubo is a big fan of the Trader Joe’s seasoning blends. And I am not devoting a label to 

  

Kathi Lipp (05:08) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Right. 

  

yeah, I get it. 

  

Tonya Kubo (05:34) 

a seasoning blend that may or may not have a long time shelf life in our house. And I already have my other ones full. 

  

Kathi Lipp (05:42) 

Yes, and you know, I just saw a TikTok where a woman who’s neurodivergent has a Trader Joe’s spice. I think it was the pizza spice that they just discontinued and she was heartbroken. And yes, I can see not wanting to dedicate a whole label to something because you’re not, you’re not. 

  

Tonya Kubo (05:47) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Okay. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Yeah. 

  

Kathi Lipp (06:08) 

discontinuing basil. Like, yes. 

  

Tonya Kubo (06:11) 

Right, well exactly. 

  

And like a lot of mine are like single spices or single herbs, right? And so with the blends, it doesn’t make sense to put the blends in there, because we go through various blends. And then we’re back to the issue that I think you were alluding to, right? So I’ve got some that are like in the little tiny short containers, like the half an ounce or whatever. Then I’ve got some that are in that four ounce container. 

  

Kathi Lipp (06:16) 

Mm-hmm. Yes. 

  

Right. 

  

Mm-hmm. Right. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Tonya Kubo (06:37) 

Then I’ve 

  

got some we’ve gotten from Costco, right? So they’re ginormous and they barely fit in the cabinet. And part of it is I have to rely on my memory to let me know like, okay, am I looking in my refillable spices? Do I look in the cabinet or do I look in the drawer? Three locations, Kathi, three. For spices. 

  

Kathi Lipp (06:41) 

Yeah. 

  

Right. Right. 

  

I get it 

  

for spices. It should not be this much drama. But if you like to cook or you’re forced to cook, spices make everything better. And so we’re gonna need to figure out this spice situation, right? 

  

Tonya Kubo (07:14) 

Mm hmm. Yeah. We and well, we need to figure it out. And I think what, Kathi, we owe it to our listeners to give them a variety of options. Right. And so I think what we can do is I think we have enough time before we cut to commercial to go through a couple of options and then we’ll take our break. How does that sound? 

  

Kathi Lipp (07:26) 

Yes, absolutely. 

  

Okay, 

  

I think that sounds beautiful. Okay, so the first thing I think you need to do is we need to declutter your spices and people, know, declutter your spices. But I’m guessing if you do any amount of cooking, you have a couple of basils, you have a spice that you tried from Trader Joe’s and you realized it’s nobody’s favorite or 

  

Tonya Kubo (07:45) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Can I tell 

  

you which one that is? Trader Joe’s seasoning salt. It is the worst thing I’ve ever tasted and I figured out why. It has a bunch of celery salt that, and in my mouth, celery salt tastes bitter. I like celery, but celery salt is very bitter to me, overpowers the whole thing. I hate it. 

  

Kathi Lipp (08:04) 

Yeah, do tell. 

  

really? 

  

Okay. 

  

Yeah. Okay. and you, 

  

yeah. Okay. See guys, if you don’t like celery salt, Tonya just saved you four bucks. And yes. So again, you guys know I’m not a huge fan of pull everything into the middle of the room and sort it out, but we are talking microspaces here. Your spices in most houses are microspaces. 

  

Tonya Kubo (08:43) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (08:47) 

So I am going to encourage you to take everything out of the cabinet and I want you to do some things like check for expiration dates. Now, I will say this. I’m not worried if your cilantro is expired. The only thing, you you’re not going to die of cilantro poisoning as far as I know, but your spices get less effective the older they are. 

  

Tonya Kubo (09:14) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (09:16) 

So if you can’t smell the spice, you need to toss it. If you have six basils, maybe take a couple of unopened ones to the food pantry or give them to a friend or something like that. And then one thing you can do, you can group them. Now, I’ll tell you how I group mine. I have a couple of different ways. So we have your basic set of spices and then I have my blends. 

  

So I have two different areas for that. So my basil is not, my basil spice is not next to my bohemian spice because the bohemian is a blend, the basil is a regular. you know, so there’s herbs, ground spices, baking essential, and also let’s keep the things that we use the most towards the front. So if you have a cabinet or something like that, but, 

  

Tonya Kubo (09:56) 

Mm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (10:14) 

Here’s why we’re gonna go through so many different iterations of space spice organization is because in every place I’ve lived I’ve had to organize differently because my kitchen layout has been different and you just have to work with what you have because none of us here are Remodeling our kitchen cabinets because of basil. We’re just not doing it so 

  

Tonya Kubo (10:25) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Right. 

  

Kathi Lipp (10:39) 

The first thing I want to talk about is a tiered shelf or expandable rack. So this is very simple. This is part of my solution. This is part of the solution I have for things like my vanilla bean paste and my I have a cinnamon shaker and I have a powdered sugar shaker and I have baking soda and baking powder and all these different kinds of things. 

  

Tonya Kubo (10:52) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (11:06) 

And those are not going to fit into my spice rack situation, but they do fit on these tiered, think of them as stairs. And so if you were putting your humans on the stairs, you could put tall people in the back and then shorter people up front. But even if they were kind of the same height, you’d still be able to see the people in the back because they’re on a taller step. That’s the same thing I do. 

  

Tonya Kubo (11:16) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm, right. Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (11:34) 

Some of my spice blends and things like that that they’re a little bit bigger a little bit more awkward You these come in bamboo and by the way, we’ll have links to all of these You know Amazon links to all of these in the back mine are white plastic and they expand so they fit into the space in your cabinet and Yeah, it makes it so you can see everything at a glance. So like I have some barbecue seasonings there 

  

things like that that I don’t use all the time, but I want to know about. And so we’ll put those links in there. 

  

Tonya Kubo (12:12) 

Awesome. my gosh, this is so helpful, Kathi. And especially, I really liked the idea of keeping the, I’ll call them the single ingredient spices separate from the blends. Cause I think that is incredibly helpful. So, okay. So you’ve told us like we first got to declutter. We got to pair it down, consolidate, toss, whatever you need to do, but let’s pair it down so that we don’t have six basil. Cause that 

  

Kathi Lipp (12:23) 

He has. 

  

Yes. 

  

Mm-hmm. Yep. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Tonya Kubo (12:41) 

would be a problem for most of us, maybe not all of us. Then you talked about the of the simplest storage solution it sounds to me is this expandable like shelf sort of stair step thing. Do you feel like it’s the most affordable solution too? 

  

Kathi Lipp (12:48) 

Yeah. 

  

Right? 

  

Oh yeah, by far the most affordable. You I think those things you can buy them for like 10 to $13 and that’s really gonna amp up your space. But I think the next most affordable one is, and here’s the thing, I would never personally use this solution. Cause I feel like a kitchen drawer is about the most valuable space in your entire house. But I know for some people, this is the magical solution. And this is, it’s a pullout spice drawer. 

  

Tonya Kubo (13:12) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (13:25) 

or you know, what it does is you can pull out the drawer, the spices are laying down in the drawer, but they are segmented out. so there are a couple of pullout drawers we can talk about. That’s one where you can pull out just one of your cabinet drawers or your kitchen drawers and those spices are laying down. There’s another one that I think is really interesting. 

  

Tonya Kubo (13:35) 

Hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (13:51) 

that I have not tried, but I might at some point, especially in our RV where space is limited. And this is like, it’s a pull-out, and we’ll have pictures of all of these in the notes, but this is like a pull-out cabinet, pull-out rack where the spices are standing up. So you can, it’s both sides, it’s like toy soldier rows of spices where you can see them standing up. 

  

Tonya Kubo (13:54) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Okay, 

  

so it goes in a cabinet, but it’s a drawer system that fits inside a cabinet versus having an organization system that fits inside of a drawer. 

  

Kathi Lipp (14:22) 

Yes. 

  

Exactly. there I’ve I’ve confused us. I get it. I really have Yes 

  

Tonya Kubo (14:32) 

No, it’s okay. I summarized it. We’re good. This is the 

  

beauty of having two of us here. Well, and the reason I wanted to pull that out and clarify is because I think there are a lot of people who do prefer some kind of drawer based system. So having a solution for the people who do want to use their own drawer, right? But make that work for them is helpful. And then also for somebody who 

  

Kathi Lipp (14:50) 

Yes. 

  

Yes. Right. 

  

Tonya Kubo (15:00) 

maybe has a little extra cabinet space, but that doesn’t work for them because they don’t like the cabinet layout, then they can get a drawer system to insert. my gosh, this is really actually, it’s quite creative, Kathi. 

  

Kathi Lipp (15:06) 

Right. 

  

Yes. 

  

Mm-hmm. I 

  

I really I I think if you can solve this problem You can improve your nighttime cooking routine by a solid seven percent Yes, yes 

  

Tonya Kubo (15:24) 

Ooh, I like a solid 7%. Not too high, 

  

not too low. This is good. Okay, let’s cut to commercial really quick. Pay some bills. We’ll be right back. 

  

my gosh. So we are back talking about, think one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in your home, which is the space you allocate to spices. Cause it seems like a small space, but it can get out of hand really, really quickly. And Kathi is walking us through a variety of solutions on how to tame that incredibly chaotic area. So you heard us before the commercial break. Now we’re coming back. Kathi. 

  

Kathi Lipp (15:48) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Tonya Kubo (16:05) 

Talk to me about what I think is everybody’s practice when it comes to organizing. I think most of our listeners are probably already shocked that we haven’t brought it up. 

  

Kathi Lipp (16:17) 

Are you talking lazy Susans? Okay, and I will say this is part of my, I apparently, I don’t think I realized it until we did this episode that I have like a five, five layer solution to all of this, but it’s just, it’s where we’re at. It’s what works. And so I have a lazy Susan, very tall lazy Susan that I keep things like, you know, the Costco size, 

  

Tonya Kubo (16:19) 

I’m totally talking lazy Susans. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Yeah, it’s what works. 

  

Kathi Lipp (16:46) 

containers of They’re the blends, you know, so the those kind of things. I keep them on the lazy Susan. I also keep some other You know like seasoning salts and things like that on there and that is just you know You turn around you’re doubling or tripling your space The problem is whatever on the inside of that lazy Susan will never be seen again Yeah, so you either you either have to not care about it 

  

Tonya Kubo (16:59) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

I was gonna say it never sees the light of day. 

  

Kathi Lipp (17:16) 

or you just have to promise yourself that you’re not gonna fill up that space. But really, where is there a space in your kitchen that has not been filled? 

  

Tonya Kubo (17:24) 

Never. Now I have a question about the lazy Susan though. So my experience with lazy Susans, it doesn’t take long before eventually they don’t quite spin as smoothly as they used to. And so then that’s what drives me up a wall. Cause I’m like, I have what looks like a lazy Susan, but it is not lazying around for me. 

  

Kathi Lipp (17:25) 

Right. Yes. 

  

Okay. 

  

Mm-hmm Yes, okay 

  

So you may have to turn that thing take everything off turn it upside down and see if there’s anything blocking the mechanism Or you mention may just have too much on it Yeah, and it’s well it’s probably too stuffed and it’s getting stuck in a corner or something and so maybe you just need a little TLC 

  

Tonya Kubo (17:50) 

Hmm. 

  

it never occurred to me that that could be a problem, but that’s probably the problem. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Alright, okay, so, lazy Susan, what else do we got? 

  

Kathi Lipp (18:09) 

Yeah, 

  

okay, so if you are super super tight on space in your kitchen So these are some I’m gonna give you some rapid-fire solutions that I have used in spaces like Our RV where there there is no space the space doesn’t exist. So one of those things is There are under cabinet Storage for yeah, so you can see all that. I think that that is ideal for somebody who says 

  

Tonya Kubo (18:15) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Hmm. 

  

Mmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (18:38) 

here are the eight spices I’m going to use. I am not bringing blends into my kitchen. I will make the blend. So that’s an option for that. Another thing that you might want to consider is a holder for the side of your refrigerator. If many refrigerators are not magnetized on the front anymore, 

  

Tonya Kubo (18:43) 

Right. 

  

Kathi Lipp (19:03) 

but they are on the side. And so there are so many great storage solutions. So if you’re working in a tiny apartment or an RV, or maybe it’s a work kitchen cabinet, and you just have a little bit of space, one of those magnetized things will help it so you don’t lose that shelf in your kitchen that is so, so valuable. So something along those lines, thinking outside the box is really, really helpful in those situations. 

  

Tonya Kubo (19:16) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Yeah, 

  

well, I mean, exactly, right? It’s like, you really just have to look at your kitchen and go, you know, what, what is my usable space and what makes the most sense to put here and be willing to be creative. Cause to your point, I’ve seen a lot of knife organizers, for instance, that could go on the side of the fridge, that are magnetized side of the fridge or side of the stove. And of course these are for people who do not have children. Cause I could just see how that would work. 

  

Kathi Lipp (19:38) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Right. Yeah. 

  

Exactly. 

  

Abby. 

  

Tonya Kubo (20:02) 

But just be exactly. But 

  

you know what? Spices could be a safe thing to magnetize to the side of my fridge. So I love that creativity. But I hear a rumor that maybe Roger told me, maybe Roger didn’t tell me, who knows, that you have actually a super duper favorite solution to spice organization. Lay it on us. 

  

Kathi Lipp (20:08) 

Yeah. Right. 

  

We’re 

  

my goodness. 

  

You know can spice organization actually be life-changing. I don’t know But if it could be this would be the one it’s from a brand called utopia and it’s not it’s y-o-u like you topia and It is I it’s so interesting. So it’s a plastic Set of shelves that when you pull it out when you pull out a shelf 

  

Tonya Kubo (20:32) 

You 

  

Okay. 

  

Kathi Lipp (20:56) 

it drops down so you can see all of the spices on that shelf. And of course, I’ve labeled the edge of each shelf so I know what’s on there. But this, it lays it out so beautifully. You know I do a cooking show every Wednesday on Facebook. And I love it. Every time I need a spice, I can just go there and I know I have it. And so part of 

  

Tonya Kubo (21:21) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (21:25) 

keeping that system working. I have one for my basic like basil and then I have another set that is for my blends like Bohemian. And I love it so much because I can see at a glance what I have. I keep those at least two thirds full. I feel like that’s kind of the, that’s when I need, I know I need to get something else unless it’s a crazy expensive spice like saffron. 

  

Tonya Kubo (21:31) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Okay. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Yeah. 

  

Kathi Lipp (21:55) 

Saffron, 

  

you know, if we’re gonna wait till we get down to the bottom before we’re my goodness, right? Because yeah, that’s a different tax bracket if you are or you live in a different country where saffron is not quite that expensive Yeah that and vanilla holy cow, but I love this so much. It makes it so much It’s so easy. You can see what you have at a glance It doesn’t matter that I buy some of my spices from savory spice 

  

Tonya Kubo (22:00) 

The last thread! 

  

is easier to get. 

  

Kathi Lipp (22:24) 

and some of them from Whole Foods and some of them from Safeway because nobody sees them but me. I just keep them all behind there and it fits most of your containers. So I do have a couple where I’ve doubled up on some of those little containers and it just looks it looks nice and it makes me it makes me smile every time I use it. 

  

Tonya Kubo (22:31) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Yeah, well, and I think that’s important, right? Because if we have to eat, I mean, the truth is, is we have to eat, we don’t necessarily have to cook. But if we have to eat and we choose to cook, we should have a measure of enjoyment in the cooking experience. And to your earlier point, the frustration, having like the spices fall out on you or fall onto the cabinet when you’re trying to get to something that really can take, even if you enjoy cooking, that can rob the joy from. 

  

Kathi Lipp (22:56) 

Right. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Yes, yes. 

  

It really can. 

  

Tonya Kubo (23:17) 

So now I have a hard question, Kathi, because you know me, I like to throw you curve balls now and then. You have laid out a lot of solutions and you know, our listeners and our Facebook community members, we struggle a little bit with some decision fatigue. Notice how I put myself in that picture just now? Yeah, I said we, it wasn’t the royal we. And so with so many choices, how do you help us decide? 

  

Kathi Lipp (23:20) 

Okay, I love a good hard question. Let’s do it. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Sure. Yes. 

  

I can actually answer this pretty easily. You need a tape measure. You need a tape measure. Yes, but you know what? The tape measure helps you decide what actually is going to work for your space. And so you may think, youtopia that Kathi’s talking about, that will change my life. And then you go to measure your cabinet and you’re like, it would change my life if it fit, but it doesn’t. 

  

Tonya Kubo (23:47) 

Okay. 

  

That was not what I saw coming, but okay. 

  

Hmm. 

  

Yeah 

  

Kathi Lipp (24:13) 

So 

  

I’m not going, so you can do this through process of elimination. So get a tape measure out, check these links that we’re sharing with you on Amazon and see what will actually fit for your space. And I would just say, give yourself a half inch grace on most of these things because not that I think they’re lying to you, but just to make sure that it can fit well. And really consider a combination. What I’ve really used, 

  

Tonya Kubo (24:17) 

Mmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (24:43) 

is the youtopia spice organizers, the lazy Susan, and the stair stepping shelves. And that fits all of my needs. And if I can’t fit it in one of those things, I probably don’t need it. It would be a very rare thing that I would need something outside of. 

  

Tonya Kubo (24:50) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Yeah. And I think that’s just a great thing to remember. It’s like, if this doesn’t work, like, first of all, how likely is it that the solution wouldn’t work? And if it didn’t work, what would be the circumstance that would make that the case? And then how do you work around it? my goodness, Kathi. Okay. So I feel like it is important to remind our listeners of all the resources that are available. We have mentioned a lot of things in this episode. Please do not walk, but run over to the show notes. 

  

Kathi Lipp (25:17) 

Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

  

Yeah. 

  

Tonya Kubo (25:32) 

Click the link that’s in your player and you want to definitely pay attention to all the resources that we have for you there. So we will give you a link to the Clutterfree Academy Facebook group just in case you want to talk this through, share some before and after pictures, see other people’s before and after pictures. We will have a link to a downloadable PDF resource for you and a quick spice checklist. This whole series includes 

  

resources that you can download and print out or use on your device, whatever makes you happy. And Kathi mentioned this, but she kind of snuck it under, so I want to reinforce it. You can catch her cooking live on Facebook. That is her author, Kathi Lipp page, every Wednesday. If you just go to the page, it’ll tell you what time the next one is. And you can see her kitchen live and in real time. 

  

Kathi Lipp (26:22) 

Yeah, and here, let me just give one more little piece of encouragement here. When you are looking at ordering these things, look on Amazon and oftentimes there will be a note that this item is often returned. Now, it always blew me away that the reviews are like a 4.7, but the item is often returned. 

  

Tonya Kubo (26:41) 

Mmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (26:49) 

and 

  

that’s because people ordered it and it didn’t fit in their kitchen. we, know, us cluttery girls, we love to take a flyer and just, you know, we want to order when the mood hits us and we can’t find the tape measure, so we’re not gonna worry about it. Take the extra five seconds to go find that tape, or five minutes, let’s be honest. Go find that tape measure, measure the space, so. 

  

Tonya Kubo (26:53) 

Yep. 

  

Kathi Lipp (27:15) 

because I want you to have wins. Tonya and I want you to have wins in every part of this. And I’m also gonna say one other thing. Tonya, you and I both do an extreme amount of cooking. Most of the food we eat, we cook. You and I both buy spices from Costco. Don’t buy spices from Costco if you’re not cooking on the regular. I will say, I guess there is another portion to my spice. 

  

Tonya Kubo (27:26) 

Mm-hmm. Yep. 

  

Kathi Lipp (27:43) 

You know what I’m holding on to to those really big jars I keep those in my garage and when I’m refilling my spice containers one thing I’ve discovered I don’t know if this holds true for you. I’m never shaking spices into a soup or a casserole I’m always measuring them. So I take those stupid little shaker tabs off Because I don’t use them but when I refill I refill with a piece of paper that I’ve fashioned into a cone because 

  

Tonya Kubo (27:58) 

Mm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

Kathi Lipp (28:11) 

If I’m refilling spices, I’m refilling a lot at the same time. And I don’t want my basil to get into my cumin, or let’s be honest, more likely the other way around. And so I’m just using that paper to do it over and over and over again. So those are my last little hits. 

  

Tonya Kubo (28:19) 

Mm-hmm. 

  

Mm-hmm. 

  

I love it. I 

  

have a little itty bitty baby funnel. It is the tiniest cutest funnel you’ll ever see. Can’t tell you where I bought it, but it works really well. All right. Well, Kathi, thank you so much for sharing these tips with us, helping us to spice up our kitchens. And listeners, I just want to say thank you for hanging out with us. We appreciate the fact that you lend us your ears. You have been listening to Clutterfree Academy. Now go create the clutter free life you’ve always wanted to live. 

  

Kathi Lipp (28:30) 

do you? Yes. I love that. 

  

I love it. 

  

Woohoo! 

 

More Posts 

How-To Have a Clutter Free (& Worry Free) Garage Sale

How-To Have a Clutter Free (& Worry Free) Garage Sale

 

Two summers ago, an older couple gifted my daughter a large number of household items as they moved out of state. The goal? Have a garage sale and make money for college.

 

We spent nearly a week sorting and transporting items, another week preparing for the sale, and a full weekend selling. The result was a whopping $600.

 

On the other hand, our neighbor who planned to move to Poland later that year joined in the sale, strategically added items to her lot across the street, and made nearly twice the money.

 

Two garage sales. Very different results.

 

Consider Your Options                   

 

Before deciding to embark on a sale, weigh the time and effort required with other options.

 

  • Do you only have a few great items in new or like-new condition? Maybe an online marketplace or auction site would be better.

 

  • Do you have quite a few items, but not enough to draw in a crowd? Consider connecting with others for a community or block sale. Donate to a church or non-profit sale. Or invite a neighbor or friend to join forces to draw a wider group of shoppers.

 

  • Garage sales can make a lot of money. Karen M, a Clutter-Free member, recently had a sale and “with not too much effort made $1,000.” On the other hand, garage sales can be a lot of work for little to no money. I’ve hosted several garage sales that netted in the neighborhood of a total of $100-$200. Are you okay with either result?

 

Once you’ve decided a garage sale is the best option, you will need to get to work.

 

 

Time

 

A terrific garage sale takes time. Sometimes a lot of time.

 

  • Be prepared. Gather items, price and display them, spend 2-3 days hosting the sale, and commit to clean up and disposing of items that do not sell.

 

  • Don’t underestimate the importance of the weather. If it is too hot, too cold, too windy, too rainy then your sale may be a bust. Pick the right time of year, keep an eye on the weather forecast, and choose the most temperate part of the day for sale hours.

 

Do you have enough time to make it worthwhile?

 

If so, choose a date and put it on the calendar.

 

 

Space & Location

 

You’ll need space to store items until the sale begins and a location to hold the sale.

 

  • Where will you store items before the sale begins?

 

  • Are you in a prime location for a sale? Or could you hold the sale at a friend or neighbor’s house that is easier to find with better exposure?

 

  • Some neighborhoods do not allow yard/garage sales and have restrictions about street parking. Be sure to check any homeowner agreements that may impact your sale.

 

Where will you hold your sale?

 

Help

 

Sale days will be much more manageable (and fun!) if you have friends and family by your side.

 

  • You will need a lunch or restroom break.

 

  • A crowd may arrive all at once.

 

  • Friends and family help keep you company during the slower parts of the day.

 

  • Someone to keep reminding you why you are decluttering.

 

Who will stand by your side while you sell your stuff?

 

 

Gather Your Items

 

Before you can have a sale, you have to know what you’re selling. 

 

  • Make a pile. Load up boxes. Sort and organize. Go through closets, drawers, basements, and garages and come up with the items you’ll sell. (This is a perfect time to declutter!)

 

  • Group like items. Furniture, books, clothing, baby clothes, kid’s items, tools, dishes, kitchenware, appliances, household items, and so on. If you bought it, you can probably sell it.

 

Do you have enough desirable items to warrant a garage sale?

Pricing

 

“There is no better deterrent from bringing new items into your home than seeing that candle you bought for $24.95 re-sell for only $2.50. This is the Clutter Tax we all pay for excess stuff.” -Karen M

 

  • Be realistic. Garage sales draw bargain hunters. It is unlikely you can sell an item for even a fraction of what you paid. Even like-new items may not sell for more than half the original price. Exceptions: Certain collectibles. Antiques. Refurbished items.

 

  • Decide ahead of time if you’re willing to dicker or if you’ll have a half-price hour or a last call (selling everything for a dollar) at the end of the day.

 

Remember your objective is not to make money, it’s to get rid of stuff. Bringing it back in the house defeats the purpose of having a clutter-free garage sale.

 

 

Cash

 

A few days before the sale, visit the bank. Obtain a wide variety of bills in different denominations. If you priced items under a dollar you will also need change.

 

Display.

 

Staging is important!

 

Put the “wows” upfront. You want stuff that will literally stop traffic. Furniture, tools, and electronics are your best bet for getting a spouse to pull the car to the curb.

Clothes. Hanging, easily viewed clothing sells best. A garment rack is ideal, but a shower rod or tautly hung rope can work. The next best option is folded clothes preferably on a table. Be sure to put up a sign that says “Hangers Not Included” unless you’re decluttering hangers too.

 

Books, CDs, DVDs. Create a temporary display. If you have enough shelf space, place the front covers face out. Next best option? A table. Try to keep the shelves looking full (this is a great job for kids).

 

Group items. Housewares, small appliances, bath items, baby clothes or toys, yard items, etc. But make sure there’s plenty of space between displays for people to comfortably move.

 

Advertising

 

On the web. Online groups exist to help you get the word out. Check into your favorite sale sites, neighborhood, or market place, and add your listing. Highlight the kinds of things you’re selling (tools, kids’ clothes, furniture, etc.) so you attract the right buyers.

 

On the street. Create large, readable signs to attract more drive-by traffic. Neon poster board is great for this. Add a few secure balloons to draw attention.

 

Check city ordinances regarding sign size and location of display signs. Although many people use utility poles, this often violates city rules. Also, be a good steward and collect all signs at the end of your sale.

 

Tell your friends. Share your goals. Be sure to let your Facebook or Instagram friends know as well.

 

Newspaper. Running a cheap ad in your local newspaper or an online classified service may bring you more shoppers.

 

Back-Up Plan

What will you do with anything leftover?

Who will be taking the items away?

Where will it go?

 

If you were willing to get rid of the stuff in the first place, don’t let it wiggle it’s way back in.

 

With a lot of planning and a bit of hard work, you can have a successful garage sale. Whether your sale makes $100 or $1000, if you’ve met your goal to declutter you’ve triumphed! Your heart and home will be lighter.

 

Your turn. What additional tips can you add for a clutter-free sale?

 

*Thank you, Karen M, (of Clutter Free), and Kathi Lipp for contributing strategic suggestions included in this article.

 

April Kidwell lives in the Pacific Northwest with her science-geek husband, soon-to-fly young adult children, three dogs, two cats and a gecko. She writes Contemporary and Historical Christian romance for the Waiting Heart and comes from a long line of “what-ifers.” (What if we need it? What if we make it useable again? What if…?) Connect with her at https://www.blessfulwritings.comhttps://www.instagram.com/blessfulwritings/, and https://www.facebook.com/Blessfulwritings/.

 

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Apricot and Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

Apricot and Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

 

 

Apricot and Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

I love any recipe that is a twofer.

A twofer is any dish that can be served just after making, and then is also fabulous later on as a LOOP (Left Over On Purpose.)

Let me introduce: Baked Oatmeal.           

The reason I love this recipe is twofer:

  1. It is a warm, nourishing breakfast to have on a Monday morning when the world feels like too much and you just need some comfort food to make the world right again.
  2. It is perfect on a Tuesday morning, straight from the fridge as an “Oatmeal Bar” which I then grab and go as I drive into town for work with my homemade latte.

See? Twofer. (That is, if your crew doesn’t eat the whole pan first. If that’s a possibility, you may want to consider making TWO pans to be assured of oatmeal bars later.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups whole almonds, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups dried apricots, roughly chopped           

1 cup blueberries

1 1/3 cups whole milk

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar, divided

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, divided (2 tablespoons melted, 2 tablespoons room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. 

Fold in the almonds, apricots and blueberries. Spread the mixture evenly into the baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, cream, honey, 1/4 cup brown sugar, egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla to combine. This creates a custard-like mixture that you then pour over the oats.

Cut up the rest of the butter and put that on top, along with the remaining brown sugar.

Bake for 25 or 30 minutes, or until the oatmeal has absorbed the liquid and is golden brown on the surface.

Cool slightly before serving.

 

Let me know if you’ll be trying baked oatmeal, or if you have a favorite twofer recipe in the comments!

 

 

 

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8 Ways to Make Your Cleaning Products Last Longer

8 Ways to Make Your Cleaning Products Last Longer

 

 

Need some simple ways to make your cleaning products last longer? Here are 8 simple ways to stretch your supplies, and cut down necessary trips to the store.

 

Like many of you, I’m looking for ways to leave the house less for errands. Less time spent in grocery stores and warehouses, the better.

 

I’m trying to find ways to make not only my groceries last longer, but everything else in my house. And with us being home more, let’s just say, I’m cleaning a lot more than usual.

 

If you’re shopping less, but cleaning more, you may find yourself running out of all your cleaning products at the same time. So, if you need to make your current stash stretch until the next monthly run to the grocery store, here’s how to make your cleaning supplies last.

 

  1. Measure Your Amounts                   

Many of us have been trained to fill both dispensers in our dishwasher or fill the laundry soap cup to the brim. Now’s the time to evaluate how much detergent you really need. Read the packaging and see how much detergent is recommended for the load you’re washing. Your friend with toddlers may need to use more laundry detergent than your neighbor who is running a load of work-at-home clothes.

 

2.  Mix Your Own Sanitize              

If your cleaning cabinet is running out of products that will sanitize your home, it’s time to turn to your laundry area. Bleach and water, in the right proportions, will do wonders.

 

“Bleach is very effective at killing the coronavirus, as well as virtually every other germ on the face of the planet,” said Dr. Paul Pottinger, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Washington Medical Center.

 

To create your own household cleaner, follow the Center for Disease Control guidelines:

Clean the surface with soap and warm, clean water. Rinse the area with clean water. Then sanitize with a mixture of 1 cup bleach to 5 gallons water. Let the area air dry. Be sure to wear rubber gloves to keep the bleach off your hands.

 

 

  1. Spray the Cloth, Not the Surface

Never spray cleanser directly onto the surface you’re cleaning. You’ll save cleaner and money by spraying your glass, wood, and surface cleanser directly on your cloth and then cleaning the intended surface. Many of us subscribe to the myth, the more cleanser, the cleaner it is. But using too much cleanser can actually cause build-up and require extra work to clean the surface. (No wonder we hate cleaning!)

 

    4. Use the Cloth for the Size of the Job

We’ve taken to rationing our disinfecting wipes with one simple trick: tearing them in half. Most of the cleanup jobs I’m doing right now are on the small side: wiping down door handles, disinfecting a sink, wiping down light switches. None of these require a huge cloth to do the job. Now, I tear the wipes in half and stick the leftover wipe back in the container to be used for the next job.

 

     

 

5. Use the Leftovers

We all have them. The cleaner we tried for our bathroom and didn’t love the smell of, but didn’t get rid of either. Now is the time to scour the house for any containers under bathroom sinks, in the laundry area, in the garage, or even in your basement. Where are those half-used bottles of cleaners hiding? Gather everything you have into one place, so you know exactly what you have and what you are running low on.

 

  1. Check the Label                         

Read the label on the all-purpose cleaner; you may just be using it for surface cleaning, but the label tells you that it is also a degreaser, a spot cleaner for fabric, and even a carpet cleaner. It’s time to discover the power you already have sitting in that bottle and all the ways that “multi-purpose” is really true.

 

  1. Use Concentrate as Intended

With so many products being offered as concentrates, make sure that you’re using the proper amount of cleanser, and using it correctly. Do you need to be adding water to the product before using it, or using way less than a non-concentrated product?

 

 

  1. Ask Yourself: Does this Really Need to Be Cleaned?

With most of us not going out as much as we are used to, think about the ways that you could reduce the number of items that need to be cleaned on a daily basis.

 

Do you need to wash that shirt you just wore for 45 minutes for a teleconference call?

 

How about dishes? Assign each member of your family one different colored cup each day so you are only washing one cup, per person, per day. Depending on the size of your family, that could save a half a load of dishes right there.

 

You may not be able to employ all of these tactics, but even implementing one or two can help you get to a place of extending the life of your cleaners, as well as feeling safer during this time of crisis.

 

 

 

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How to Tackle That Summer Decluttering Job

How to Tackle That Summer Decluttering Job

Pool Toys and Sunglasses

Every year when that big yellow bus pulls away for the last time, school children everywhere fly home with that exhilarated feeling of freedom. It’s time to toss away the backpacks and drag out the pool floaties and other hot-weather essentials.

Summer stuff, as I call it. Outdoor grilling, beach trips, and epic water gun wars make for a huge pile in the garage (on top of last year’s cornhole game, sports equipment, and the treadmill you plan to sell).

Or the looming family reunion that sends you up into the attic, digging through boxes to find photos for the slide show you’re in charge of.

And what about all the bins of clothing you stored last year, in hopes that your growing kids (or their younger siblings) could get some wear out of shorts sets and swimsuits.

Any of these projects can make you forget just how far you’ve come, even if your living room is 90% clutter free and you’re tackling that kitchen counter daily as part of your evening routine. But before you get discouraged, we’ve got five tips to help you keep your momentum going on your decluttering journey.

Be okay where you are.

There are a lot of shame-inducing circumstances we find ourselves in surrounding our clutter. Even if we’ve been decluttering for a long time, we can discover an area that’s overrun by stuff we no longer need, or stuff that goes someplace else, like all those boxes in the attic we stuffed there “for now” (years ago).

Or, perhaps during a busy season, we let our routines go and now we’re faced with having to re-conquer areas we had worked so hard to declutter. That one dresser that you let pile up, or the bin of toys in the playroom.

Whatever the reason for your dismay, the worst thing you can do is to allow shame to pile up like clutter. Be gentle with yourself as you assess your situation and accept it. Wasting time and energy beating yourself up takes away from your ability to remedy the situation.

Remember, all you have to do is set a timer for 15 minutes. You’ll be surprised at how much you can get done in that short time. Set a timer on your phone, and then rinse and repeat the next day, and the next.

Before you know it, that area will be decluttered and feeling like new again.

Set small goals.

Instead of dreading that big job in the garage, tackle one shelf or one corner.  If we wait for a whole day to magically open up on our calendar for garage cleaning, we might see a couple different presidential administrations before it happens.

You want to choose an area that’s small enough to complete in 15 minutes. In some cases, that may be only one box, one drawer, or half of a shelf. If you have more than 15 minutes to work on it, great! Keep setting the timer until you’ve either finished that area or run out of time.

Accomplishing small goals adds up to big goals achieved. Task by task, decluttering a bit at a time will eventually lead to an entire closet or garage completely decluttered.

Remember your “why.”

Why did you want to declutter in the first place? Often there’s an event that makes a cluttery person finally decide to get rid of all their unnecessary stuff. It could be the death of a parent (and the clean-out process of that parent’s house), or it might be an embarrassing visit when someone appraised the dresser with raised eyebrows. (Ahem…Not that any of us here at Clutter Free Academy have experienced any of those things personally, mind you.)

We may have had a unique catalyst for our clutter-free journey, but one big reason for us all to keep at it is this: God created each of us for a unique purpose and getting rid of the clutter frees you up to do what He made you to do.

Celebrate your wins.

Who doesn’t love a good celebration? Looking forward to a fun moment (or three) when you accomplish a decluttering project will help you across the finish line.

If you’ve finished clearing off the game shelf and gotten rid of those Hi-Ho Cherrio and Chutes and Ladders (and your kids are in middle school), play a game your family still enjoys, maybe one you rediscover after reclaiming that space.

Or reward the kids with a trip to the pool for helping you bag up winter clothes that are too small. It doesn’t have to be a big deal—just something to mark the accomplishment.

Keep your 15-minute decluttering routines.

In the summertime, it’s easy to lose our school year routines. But the future you—the one packing next year’s school lunches and buying backpacks filled with #2 pencils will thank you for the 15 minutes you spend each day decluttering.

It may not seem like much, but your efforts add up to a big payoff.

Like Jen Babakhan says in her new book, Detoured, “All the little things you do over and over every day are seen by God. If you could watch your life like a movie on fast-forward, you would see that the dishes, laundry, books, snuggles, tantrums (by you or the children), and even the socks you pull out of the corners of the couch on a much-too-regular basis add up to a life of authenticity and love.”

Giveaway Time!

Thanks to our fabulous friends over at Harvest House, we are able to give a few of you a free copy of Detoured! 5 people will win a copy of Detoured!

And one Grand Prize winner will receive:

      • Detoured
      • Lunch Tote Bag
      • Reusable Ice Packs
      • Outdoor Blanket

Leave a comment below to be entered to win. What is the summer decluttering job on your list?

* Giveaway for US residents only.